Luke’s Place Support and Resource Centre for Women and Children (www.lukesplace.ca) is in the process of putting together focus groups to take place on Thursday and Friday of this week. The groups will be made up of woman-abuse survivors who have experienced the family law process without legal representation.
The purpose of the focus group and of our research overall, is to identify gaps in systems in the family law process and in turn to highlight exactly where the services fall short of meeting the needs of these women. In covering relevant research for the project, it is frequently reported that women with disabilities are at a substantially increased risk of experiencing woman abuse.
Because of this fact and because our group needs to represent the general population, I would like to ask for your help in identifying some women with disabilities who may be interested in taking part in our focus group.
We would like to hear from woman-abuse survivors about their experiences in the family law system without representation. Examples of incidents might include what it felt like for these women to attend court without the benefit of a lawyer, to complete the complex legal paperwork without legal knowledge or expertise, or how it felt to have to experience the family law system unsupported while dealing with an abusive partner and trying to parent children.
Participation in the group would involve a one-time meeting for a total of 3 hours. We will offer financial compensation for transportation and childcare costs and $30.00 for each woman’s time. There will also be a “questionnaire only” section for those women who prefer not to take part in the focus group but would still like to share their experiences; this participation will be compensated with $10.00 for each woman’s time.
For more information, please contact Margot McKinlay
905-728-0978, margot-lukes@hotmail.com.
